Big Lead Sports Bar

1/08/2007

Steelers vs. Colts...vs. Boise State vs. Oklahoma...vs. Texas vs. USC

OK, it's time to get to that argument I teased in Monday's weekend wrapup...

So I'm watching the Colts/Chiefs playoff game with my Dad and a huge debate breaks out. He keeps telling me that Boise State/Oklahoma was the most exciting game of all time. I agree that it was up there, but I tell him he has a short memory. I argued that the Steelers/Colts playoff game in January, 2006 was equally if not more exciting, based on the roller coaster ride that was the fourth quarter, and that it at least belongs in the discussion. And I also made the case that the USC/Texas Rose Bowl in 2006 was a more exciting game than BSU/OU given the stakes at hand.

These games were all exciting for different reasons. In the case of Boise State, their program had never experienced a win in a game so big, on such a large stage. The Steelers, on the other hand, were playing this game as part of an unprecedented run through the NFL playoffs. No six-seed had ever won a Super Bowl or won three road playoff games in a row. USC-Texas was the culmination of a collision course involving two mega-powers, and the game exceeded the lofty expectations.

Before I get slammed, I know there were big, exciting games played before 2006. I enjoy the history of sports. But today, I'm not trying to debate the entire history of instant classics. This was a unique case of three memorable games played in the past year, and I'd like to hear other opinions as to which one you think was the most exciting.

Let's examine the three thrillers, present some facts and other relevant information, and see where that gets us.

Pregame expectations

BSU/OU: Boise State was ranked #9 with a 12-0 record, winning the WAC championship. They did not play any ranked opponents. Oklahoma was #7 at 11-2. They had a controversial one-point loss at #18 Oregon and lost by 18 against Texas. They had three wins over top-25 opponents. At gametime, OU was a seven-point favorite. So let's not get carried away here. BSU wasn't some 40-point underdog.

Steelers/Colts: Of the "national media", only Merril Hoge predicted the Steelers to win (as I remember), and he picked them every week. In fact, I remember Dan Patrick asking Michael Irvin what chance the Steelers had to win, to which Michael responded, "Not a chance, Dan!". I always enjoy the opportunity to make Michael Irvin look more foolish than he usually does on his own.

USC/Texas: This was arguably the most-anticipated NCAA football championship of all time. USC entered with a 34-game winning streak and were the defending champs. Texas was riding a 19-game winning streak. The combined 53 games were an NCAA record. There were two Heisman winners on the USC side (Bush & Leinart) as well as a Heisman runner-up (Vince Young) on the Texas side. Even before the game was played, ESPN's Kirk Herbstreit and Mark May declared USC as the second-best college team of all time, trailing only the '95 Nebraska Cornhuskers in their minds.

Blown Leads and comebacks

BSU/OU: Boise State's largest lead was 28-10 in the 3rd quarter. The game went into OT tied at 35.

Steelers/Colts: The Steelers nursed a 21-3 lead going into the fourth quarter. The Colts brought it back to 21-18 and attempted a Mike Vanderjagt field goal to tie.

USC/Texas: USC led 38-26 with 6:42 remaining in the game. Texas would rally for a 41-38 win.

BSU: Zabransky executes the Statue of Liberty play, and Ian Johnson takes it in for the two-point conversion. 43-42 BSU

BSU: Johnson then drops to one knee and proposes to his girlfriend. This could be the tiebreaker in an excitement argument. Although if Big Ben were still dating Natalie Gulbis, that proposal would top Ian Johnson-Chrissy Popadics.

Steelers/Colts:

Steelers: Roethlisberger to Randle El for a six-yard TD at the 10:11 mark of the first quarter. An exclamation point on the first drive.

Steelers: Roethlisberger to Heath Miller for a seven-yard TD with 3:56 left in the first. Further digging Peyton Manning a hole.

Steelers: Jerome Bettis goes in from a yard out at 2:09 of the 3rd. 21-3 Steelers going into quarter four.

Steelers: Troy Polamalu interception gets overturned by ref Pete Morelli with 5:26 to go in the game

Colts: Edgerrin James takes it three yards to the house with 4:35 left. 21-18 Steelers, but the Colts are surging after the overturned INT.

I think fans are so whipped up about BSU/OU because of the staggering number of trick plays called at absolutely crucial points in the game. Throw in the underdog factor and that could be your winner.... However, the Steelers win was as improbable as they come in the NFL. When you consider how they got thumped in their previous trip to Indy earlier in the season, plus the fact that the Colts were near-perfect in the regular season and rarely lose at home, the Steelers' win turned more than a few heads. So you could call that game the winner...But then again, how often do big games exceed the expectations? Just look at last night's Florida/OSU game. Would you call that a good game? By comparison, USC/Texas, featuring hoards of blue-chip NFL talent duking it out at the Rose Bowl, makes a strong case itself.

So I'm leaving this one up to you. Of the three games presented here, which game would you say was the most exciting, and why?

Mondesi as usual you have inundated me with statistics. Regardless of what you say, I still feel that Boise Stae upsetting Oklahoma is on another universe compared to the Steelers (then owners of four Superbowl Trophies) upsetting the Indianapolis Colts.